Courtney's Traveling Soldier
by Fireyoukaigirl
Summary: Has nothing to do with the original idea of TDI. Uses the song "Traveling Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks. DuncanxCourtney. Kinda sad


**After looking through some of the reviews I got from the original of this story, I decided to edit it, make it new (and hopefully better). Hopefully this time around, it won't be quite so redundant... what with all the lyrics and dialogue matching and all that jazz. Anyway, so here's the edited version of this story, it's got the same basic idea, but I changed how I did it a little.**

**I don't own TDI or any of the characters. Nor do I own the song "Traveling Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks.**

* * *

"Courtney, we need to talk."

Those five words scared Courtney more than anything she endured on Total Drama Island. It was even worse that he had used her name, rather than the pet name he'd given her. The seventeen-year-old young woman looked up from the pad of paper in her hands and stared into the stormy-blue eyes of the ex-delinquent she loved.

"What is it, Duncan," she asked cautiously.

Why did he have to start a conversation like this while she was working?

"Do you have time? This could be a while," Duncan answered with his own question.

"I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go."

Duncan nodded, kissed Courtney's cheek and left the diner she was waitressing at.

An hour and a half later, Duncan and Courtney were both sitting on a pier nearby.

"What did you want to talk about," Courtney asked after a few silent minutes.

"Princess, you know my record isn't nearly as spotless as yours," Duncan answered with a wry smile.

"You're not going to prison, are you?"

Already, she was panicking. She couldn't see herself without Duncan in her life. How could se deal with him being in _prison_?

"Do you always jump to conclusions, or is it just for me?"

"Duncan, this isn't funny!"

"Relax, Princess. I'm not getting locked up. That was an option, but I chose the army instead. I didn't think I'd be sent out so soon," Duncan answered, mumbling the last part.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'll write to you while I'm gone. Hey, don't cry."

Courtney swiped at the tears, brushing them away. Hadn't she _just_ thought about how she couldn't picture her life without Duncan in it?

"Duncan, you could die," she whispered, her voice breaking slightly.

"I'll be fine, trust me on this, Princess," Duncan answered, taking her hand in his.

"Promise," Courtney asked.

Duncan nodded his head before pressing his lips to hers.

He left the next morning to fight in the war.

* * *

It had been two months later and the two of them had been sending letters between each other. To Courtney, it felt more like Duncan was there with her when she read his letters to her. They always gave her hope. She had just gotten another letter and opened it the instant she got home.

'Princess,' it read,

'Glad to hear you're doing well. It's getting pretty messed up over here, but I'm okay. It just scares the hello out of me sometimes, with all this going on. When I get really freaked out, I imagine I'm back home with you. It helps pull me through. You better not tell anyone I said any of this. I miss you, babe. When I get home, what do you say to getting married? Before you yell at me for asking through a letter, remember that I can't exactly drop down on one knee with a ring right now. I have to go. Don't worry, but I won't be able to write for a while. I love you.

-Duncan'

Courtney held the letter to her chest for a moment, a few tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I love you too," she whispered before pulling out a sheet of paper for her reply. Her first sentence read, 'Of course I'll marry you.'

* * *

It had been about a month since then and there still hadn't been word from Duncan. Courtney was worried, scared even, but she refused to give up hope. She needed Duncan to come home. At the present, she was standing underneath the stands at her high-school football game. The National Anthem had just been sung when a man in his early fifties walked to the middle of the football field with a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please bow your heads and honor those who have died in the war," he said in a baritone voice.

Everyone in and under the stands lowered their heads and the man read off the only name on the list.

"Duncan Caliver," he said.

At that moment, Courtney's world came crashing down on her. She managed to choke back her sobs until the end of the moment of silence. As soon as it was over, she ran out to her car and just sat behind the wheel. Her body shook with the sobs that escaped her lips as she rested her forehead on the steering wheel.

"Why," she cried. "You were supposed to come home."

_I cried  
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy  
Too young for him they told her  
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier  
Our love will never end  
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again  
Never more to be alone when the letter said  
A soldier's coming home_

* * *

**So, was it better? Worse? About the same? Let me know, please.**


End file.
